Walnut shavings for plant mulch?

[John Miliunas]

LOML has numerous flower beds scattered about and likes it when I save my sawdust from the DC for use in the bedding. I was just about to start doing a bunch of jointing/planing on some Walnut and she said I shouldn't put that in any of her gardens. Now, if memory serves me correctly, I believe Walnut is a no-no for animal stalls, but does the same apply to flower beds? BTW, these ARE just flower and plant beds, not edible type vegetation. Can someone clue me(us) in?

[Steve Clardy]

Walnut is ok for plants. My wife has a greenhouse business and uses it all the time. No problem. But you are right on horses, the shavings are toxic for them. The nuts are also, if they happen to chew on some. Steve

[John Miliunas]

Walnut is ok for plants. My wife has a greenhouse business and uses it all the time. No problem. But you are right on horses, the shavings are toxic for them. The nuts are also, if they happen to chew on some. Steve

Wow....Guess this old feeble brain isn't as far gone as I thought (yet)! Thanks for the info. I'll pass it along to LOML.

[Dennis Peacock]

John,

The only sawdust/shavings I do NOT use for flower and plant beds is aeromatic cedar...the oil from the cedar appears to kill grass, plants and such....DAMHIKT!!!!! Other than that....I use it all the time around the trees, flower beds and such....does a real nice job.

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

John, Steve is correct about the Walnut Shavings/Sawdust. It should be fine for the flower beds. It is the leaves of the Walnut Tree that wreaks havoc and is toxic to plants, not to mention the Nuts and Hulls. Most vegetation will not grow well under the Black Walnut Tree. Black Walnut Trees produce a Toxin called Juglone. Juglone is mostly found in the Buds, Leaves, Nuts and Roots of the Tree. It has an adverse effect on most vegetation, that is why many Ornamentals, Flowers and Vegetables will not grow well, if at all, under or near Walnut Trees. In short, Juglone caused leaf yellowing, wilting and eventually death. Fortunately, Juglone is not nearly as concentrated in the wood of the tree, although it is present. Hickory, Pecan and Butternut also have the presence of Juglone. There you have it Boys and Girls...........your complimentary Horticulture Lesson of the day!

[John Miliunas]

There you have it Boys and Girls...........your complimentary Horticulture Lesson of the day!

Just never fails to amaze me in the cummulative knowledge of so many who visit SMC! I'm glad that the powers that be created not only this forum, but the OT venue. I, for one, would be lost without it! Man, talk about "one stop shopping"! Thanks again, one and all for all the valuable info!

[Jim Becker]

The "gardener in our house" will not accept walnut shavings for her gardens, although we've used it for the paths where no vegatation is supposed to grow. I have a separate dumping area for walnut and it gives the crawlie creatures something constructive to do...

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

Yer Welcome John! Who'd a thunk I would be using my Horticulture Degree on a Woodworking Forum on a regular basis? Not Me, for one! Just glad to be able to help out once in the while. Been playing with any Bees lately? Brings a whole (hole) new (knew) meaning to the words "Fire in the Hole" don't it? Just couldn't resist!

[John Miliunas]

Yer Welcome John! Who'd a thunk I would be using my Horticulture Degree on a Woodworking Forum on a regular basis? Not Me, for one! Just glad to be able to help out once in the while. Been playing with any Bees lately? Brings a whole (hole) new (knew) meaning to the words "Fire in the Hole" don't it? Just couldn't resist!

Yup, who'd of thunk! Wouldn't surprise me much if we even had a rocket scientist out here somewhere! Nope, I've resisted the temptation to play with the bees. Couldn't burn the brush pile today, either, as it was way too windy. Need to add it to my list of "round tuits"!

[Ed Falis]

... Wouldn't surprise me much if we even had a rocket scientist out here somewhere! ...

Well, I've sold a lot of software to rocket scientists (and given them seminars on how to use it), if that counts.

- Ed

[John Miliunas]

Well, I've sold a lot of software to rocket scientists (and given them seminars on how to use it), if that counts.

- Ed

Hey Ed, that's close enough for me!

[David Metzman]

Thanks - I was just about to start a new thread on this.

[Myk Rian]

But you are right on horses, the shavings are toxic for them.

What happens is the walnut shavings mix with their urine. The resulting chemicals can destroy/hurt their hooves.

[Yonak Hawkins]

What happens is the walnut shavings mix with their urine. The resulting chemicals can destroy/hurt their hooves.

Thanks for the specifics, Myk. I always wondered what it was about walnut that made it bad for horses. I sell my shavings to horse owners and I'm always careful to segregate out walnut but, I didn't know exactly why, until now.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Although, as previously indicated, the juglone is present primarily in the buds, bark, twigs, leaves, husks, nuts (the epicarp), and roots of walnut trees and not so the wood to any significant degree, here is a list of plants that tolerate and which do not tolerate juglone :

Plants observed to be sensitive to juglone : vegetables - asparagus, cabbage, eggplant, pepper, potato, tomato; fruit - apple, blackberry, blueberry; landscape plants - azalea, rhododendron, hydrangea, lilac, saucer magnolia, white pine, potentilla, peony, privet and yew.


Plants observed to be tolerant of juglone : vegetables - lima beans, snap beans, beets, corn, onions, parsnips, squash; fruit - cherry, black raspberry; landscape plants - red cedar, crabapple, burning bush, forsythia, hawthorn, pachysandra, redbud, most viburnums and winter creeper.